History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 51

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798

USA > Ohio > Logan County > History of Logan County and Ohio > Part 51

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In 1853 the Bellefontaine & Indianapolis Railroad was completed. The town and county began to advance rapidly in pros- perity. Andrew Gardner and others built the Metropolitan Block, and several other valuable buildings went up. The surrounding country quickly responded to the central im- pulse. Warehouses were at the doors of the farmer; the wheat market was removed from a distance and brought into the neighborhood of the husbandman. No longer receiving fifty cents a bushel at Perrysburg and De- troit, he received one dollar a bushel for wheat at home. Brush fences quickly disappeared in flame and smoke; land was cleared; new fences were made, and old ones improved; fields ceased to be shapeless patches; calicoes, and even laces and silk, invaded the region so long held by home-spun in the cabin of the farmer. The cabin itself gave way to a new house; prosperity spread like a flying glint of sunshine over the whole land, and schools and intellectual and artistic improvements

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

drove away the ignorane, and loutishness of a retired, solitary and laborious life in the country. As more acres were cultivated, ag- ricultural machinery improved and multiplied, until the farmer, from being the dependent of the town, begging a little credit and for- bearance, became the lord of the land, owned the soil he cultivated, and had money to lend. So the affairs of the town and the country alike were moving satisfactorily along. In the town business became in a great measure settled. classified and systematized. The stores were no longer magazines of general merchandise. Taylor & Chambers and An- drew Gardner were dry goods merchants; J. N. Allen had a hardware store; others were dealing in boots and shoes, some in drugs, and some in groceries ; and all were gliding swiftly and smoothly ou to fortune.

But there was now impending an unfore- seen and terrible calamity. On the night of November 1, 1856, at 10 o'clock, there went forth the cry of fire. The stable or barn behind the Rutan building was discovered to be in flames. The weather was and had been dry; there were no public cisterns or fire department; private wells and a little spring branch were the main sources of supply for extinguishing a hideous conflagration. The people worked hard hour after hour; two acres were burned over; thirty-one business places were destroyed; goods of every de- scription were piled upon the streets and publie squares. Happily, no lives were lost. The great, proud Rutan builling went down in ruins. Scarff's row, where the Watson Block now stands, was reduced to ashes. The buildings on both sides of West Columbus Street were burned up; the main buildings north of Columbus street, upon the west side of Cincinnati stre t. were also consumed. Many other buildings took fire, but were esti gui-hed. The next day (Sunday) was on of gloom and despondency. The winter

was at hand, and no successful effort at resus- citation was made; but when spring came, and the genial season of renewed life and renewed growth came, the elasticity of human hope asserted itself, and the process of build- ing new and building better began. Rutan and Riddle led the way. These people had amassed some capital by means of honest industry and honorable trade. They had lost over $20,000; they held the ownership of certain large tracts of land, bought low for the purpose of speenlating in the rise of property. These they soll as best they could, and from the proceeds the building where the People's National Bank now is, and the row of business houses extending west- ward to and beyond the alley were built. Others followed their example, and enter- prises, more or less co-operative, resulted in the erection of Allen's Block and the Melo- deon building, with a hall for publie exhibi- tions. Soon after the Watson and Lawrence corner and the long row of excellent build- ings west of it followed; then came the Buckeye Block, the Empire Block, the Tre- mont Block, and other valuable blocks of buildings. At the present time, there is in course of erection the Opera House Block, containing ten of the most elegant business rooms of which any town of the grade of Bellefontaine can boast.

By far the greatest individual enterprise that has distinguished the citizens of Belle- fontaine in the way of building was that of Thomas Milteuberger, in the erection of the hotel bearing his name. The building is of the most substantial description, is finished in the best style, and contains all modern improvements. It is 5; feet one way and 130 the other. It is three stories high, and cost in round numbers $15,000.

Having thus completed our review of the early material development of Bellefontaine and Lake Township, it will be proper to

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

345

notice several topics which are not essential to the narrative in general. We will first give a brief account of the several additions that have been made to the area of the town at various times. Its incorporated limits are so extensive, and its external borders so atten- uated, that the following enumeration seems necessary in the way of explanation. J. S. Dawson made an addition to the southeast part of the town in 1845. It is proper to say that the gentlemen making additions to the southern part of the corporate limits were public spirited enough to add thirty feet to the southern corporation street, making what is now Auburn street sixty feet wide; while all the other old corporate limits remain, as at first, thirty feet wide. The single exception is in the south-western angle of the old cor- poration just south of the Round House. The old thirty-foot street remains for the length of a single lot only. Gardner's addition was made in 1849. Walter Slicer laid off an ad- dition to the southern part of the town in 1849. Beddows' addition was made in 1850. lle made a second addition; this was to the south-western portion of the town. McCol- loch's addition was made in 1851. Western addition was made by Gardner in 1851. Pow- ell's first addition to the northern part of town was recorded in 1851; he made subso- quent additions. Aylesworth made his addi- tion on the west in 1851. Stanton laid ont an addition in 1856. He made subsequent additions, this was on the north-east. Julia Powell made the trans-depot addition in 1866. D. W. Hoge made the East Grove addition in 1869. Lawrence made an addition in 18:0 on the west. Rambo's addition was made in 1811. Howenstine's addition was made in 1822. Eslie Powers made an addition in 1848. There were other additions, the re- cords of which are not attainable, as: Nel- son's addition, McBeth's addition, etc.

In the year 18:1, there was a renumbering

of the lots of the whole town. The several additions, each comprising a few lots only, had made the distinction of lots as numbered, difficult. The lots of the entire town, in- eluding the additions, were numbered over again; so that by consulting a schedule in the office of the County Recorder, the old num- ber, with the corresponding new number of every lot can readily be seen.

While considering isolated topics con- neeted with the history of Bellefontaine, which are complete in themselves, but which are also of importance as associated with that history in the abstract, the subject of the Fire Department should receive attention. As might be expected, soon after the destructive fire of November 1, 1856, a movement was made toward establishing a fire department. The munificent sum of $18.45 was appropriated to pay for 150 feet of ladders. In due time committees reported on eight fire ladders, but they were not painted. It was ordered that these ladders be painted a "cheap and dura- ble color." Also certain fire-hooks, with coil chain attached, were debated upon in couneil. The gross amount of expenditure on behalf of the new Fire Department, was in the neigh- borhood of $28 or $30. But in order that these valuable adjunets to the extinguish- ment of conflagrations should not be lost or stolen, it was ordered that a carpenter should build a shed behind the court house, for the safe keeping of the above named fire extin- guishers. The material and work expended in the ereetion of this shed cost $24.24.

This was a miserable business altogether. The much wagging of the sagacious heads of members of counil had not yet resulted in any phenomenal climax. But the time came when it was clear to men of sense that money must be expended or there would be no de- fense against fire. Accordingly, we find that upon March 8, 1858, an order was made that " $1,500 be given to the Committee on Fire

0-16

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

Engine, Ilose and Hose Reel," to pay for the machines therein described. This engine was worked by hand, and was, no doubt, a fair sample of such machines. But it was very hard to move, and very hard also to work. There was no paid department, although there was a formal organization of a fire company, still it was rather up hill work. It was difficult to get sufficient force together quickly to move the engine, and equally difficult to get enough hands to work it really. Nevertheless, it did valuable service on many occasions. There was a smaller, and more portable engine in- troduced by the youths of the town, that in several emergencies, by reason of its lightness and facility of handling, did excellent service when the other and stronger engine was not available.

There were also some hook and ladder companies, which were, and are yet, most valuable auxiliaries to the Fire Department. These were independent companies, and, as a rule, supported by the citizens, although the Town Council would occasionally extend some aid.

In the meantime cisterns were being sunk for a supply of water, in case of fire. On the 11th of October, 1858, $345 was ordered to be paid to J. D. Lindsay for six " town cis- terns." There are now twelve town cisterns.

It became evident, as time passed, that the Fire Department was inadequate to the grow- ing possibilities requiring its services. After much consideration an ordinance was passed, December 23, 1875, purchasing a steam fire engine, which, with certain hose, but without host-reel, cost $4,300. The reel was, of course, bought afterwards. This engine will throw three streams at one time, and has proven itself to be reliable. Three horses belong to the Fire Department, two of them go with the engine proper and one with the hose- reel. They are well trained, and know their places and duties, The Fire Department is

now strictly a " pay" institution. It consists of nine men. The Chief gets $100 per an- num. Three of the men receive an aggre- gate of $1,140 per annum ; the other five men, for sleeping in the engine house, receive each $20 per annum, making a grand total of $1,340 per annum.

The five men receiving the $20 per annum for sleeping in the engine-house also receive $1.50 for each run upon the alarm of fire.

These sums, together with the necessary horse feed, light, fuel, etc., will not fall short of $2,000 per annum. This does not include repairs. There are attached to the Depart- ment two hose reels-one drawn by horse- power, the other by hand. There are 1,600 feet of hose in good repair. From an alarm of fire until the horses are ready to fly to the scene of disaster, the time does not exceed thirty seconds. This is altogether an import- ant and substantial improvement on any vol- unteer activity, no matter how reliable. Everybody knows that a great thing in fires is to be at the scene early: and that great de- sideratum is assured by the Fire Department now in existence. The ordinance reorganiz- ing the Fire Department and adopting its present form was passed January 10, 1879.

In the year 1859, it was determined to build a suitable house for the fire engine and the other appurtenances of the Department. Ac- cordingly, bids were received, and finally, on December 13, 1859, the house was formally accepted, by a committee appointed for that purpose, from the hands of its builders. The price paid was $1,335. The room is now ocenpied by the steam fire engine, the old hand machine having been sold and taken away.

On the 8th day of August, 1856, the cor- poration limits of the town were extended. The various additions, made and in prospect, to the area of the town, had rendered this movement imperative. By the authority of

347

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

an ordinance, a survey was made, and the new limits established. The area of the town proper was made to reach one mile and a half from east to west, and one mile from north to south. The form of the outline was an ob- long square, the opposite lines being equal and parallel, and the angles right angles. The center of the town was not moved, but remained the same as at first, namely: the crossing of Cincinnati and Columbus streets, northwest of the public square.

The school fund collected in 1870 in Belle- fontaine amounted to $7,543.90. The same fund collected in 18:5 was $7,617.80, while the same fund in 1879 was $11,443.74. The increase is accounted for by the augmented expenses incident to the building of the new house for union school purposes in the eastern part of the town. The condition of the school fund in Bellefontaine on the 31st of August, 1879, was as follows :

Cash on hand $10,634 99

State tax 1,650 00 Local tax 11,443 74

From foreign scholars. 78 25

Teachers' salaries. 5,668 75

Superintendent's salary 1,000 00

Fuel and incidentals 4,459 81

Cash on bonds for school buildings. 6,880 00

The statistics of the property and the expen- ses of the schools of Bellefontaine are as fol lows:

Number of schoolhouses, including colored school.

Number of 100ms. 16

Value of school property. $50,000

Number of teachers 16

Wages : Ladies, primary department, per month. $37

Gentlemen, primary, per month. 35 lligh school, ladies, per monthi. 45

66 gentlemen, per month. 65

Duration of school per year, in weeks 36

Number of pupils enrolled, white ... 903

colored. 73

Total number of pupils. 976

The number of pupils engaged in the study of sciences not included in the common school course are:

In composition.

700

Drawing. 712

Map drawing 162

U. S. history. 113

Physiology. 33

Physical geography.

Book-keeping.

Latin.

Natural philosophy.

Algebra

Geometry. 17

Trigonometry. 13

Chemistry.

Botany. 14

In addition to these, there are classes in moral and mental philosophy, astronomy, logie and rhetoric.

The statistics of Lake Township, not in- eluding Bellefontaine, as to school finances on the 31st of August, 1829, were as follows: Cash on hand, 8889.41; Statetax, $321; local tax, 8629.21; amount paid to teachiers, 8642; fuel and contingent expenses, $134.57. The schoolhouses in Lake Township, of course, are not many in number. It will be remem- bered that the township consists of but a few square miles altogether. Exclusive of Belle- fontaine, the number of school buildings in the township is three; the number of school rooms, three; number of teachers, three; wages, ladies, per month of four weeks, $35; gentlemen, $40; number of pupils enrolled, 30%; value of school property, $2,500.

It is due to the citizens of Lake Township to say that they contribute scholars to the High Schools of Bellefontaine, and that they are entitled to the credit of an ambition for a high school education. This fact the statis- tics of the township does not show.

In contrast with the above, we present some figures derived from the public records, show- ing the facts connected with the schools of Lake Township in 1861 -- the earliest report connected with that subject available. It should be remembered that this date was sev- eral years after the Union School system had been in successful operation in Bellefontaine. In that year the school funds of Lake

348

HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

Township were in the condition following:

Cash on hand $131 17

State fax .. 294 36

Irr . Incible school find. 98 39

Luca tax .. 200 00

Pay of teacher -.

543 56

Fuel and incidentals.

101 59

Number schoolhouses. 6

Number pupils enrolledl 121

For the same year the school affairs of Bellefontaine were reported as follows:

Cash on hand .$1.018 48

State Inx 1,152 36

Local lax. 1,826 60

Pail teachers, 3,203 30

Fuel and incidentals 605 99

Number of school roots

Pupil- enrolled, including colore 1

805

Value of school property.

$10,000

The first Union School building was fin- ished in 1853. It cost, including the ground up on which it stands. between $11,000 and ×12,000 For a muuber of years before this building was erected, the citizens of the town ha I been making efforts to maintain a select school, with but partial success, and consider- able inconvenience. In addition to names already given of prominent school-teachers, Miss Frizzell taught a school, not only giving instructions in the sciences, but in " manners," also. The hardest task some of her pupils encountered was the "Good evening, Miss Rheny Ann," which she compelled her pupils to say with a bow or courtesy upon dismiss- ing school at night ..

In 1851 the Union School was organized and started with a Superintendent and full corps of teachers, and has continued to pros- por up to the present time. After twenty y ais, it became apparent that the old school Billing was not sufficient to accommodate 1 . children of the growing town. As usual, acooldeal of talking was indulged in, but in Isis de new school building, situated about one square east of the old corporation line, and on t'aumbus street, was received from the hands of its builders. The contract

price was $26,500. but heating apparatus, seats and other furniture, grading and improving the grounds, putting up an excellent iron fence, increased the expense to about $35,000. It is a very handsome and commodious struc- ture. The seats and desks are of the latest and most approved pattern. The building is allotted to the primary pupils, in the east half of the town, and to the high school students of the whole town, while the old school build- ing is set apart for the primary scholars of the western half of the town only. One Superintendent is employed for the entire school department.

In addition to the two Union School build- ings, there is a very good brick structure, of sufficient size, set apart for the colored school. This department is instructed by a colored teacher, and is a very creditable school. It embraces not only the subjects of study be- longing to elementary branches, but it has a high-schoolgrade also.

There are two banks in Bellefontaine. The Peoples' Bank was established in March, 1854, by Messrs. Riddle, Rutan and Lamb. It did a general banking and exchange busi- ness, both foreign and domestic, discounting paper and receiving deposits for twenty-six years. The first day of July, 1880, it was re-organized under the name of "The Pen- ples' National Bank." Jis capital is $100.000. The officers of the bank are: President, Abner Riddle; Cashier, Robert Lamb; Directors, A. Riddle, R. Lamb, J. M. Riddle, J. M. Dickin- son, R. B. Kollar, J. B. Williams.

The Bellefontaine National Bank opened for business April 1, 18:1. The officers were: President, William Lawrence; Cashier, James Leister: Assistant Cashier, Charles MeLaugh- lin; Directors, William Lawrence, W. V. Marquis, J. N. Allen, J. B. Mclaughlin, S. WE Goe. Capital, $100,000.

There have been a number of mills of various kinds established in Lake Township

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HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

at different periods of its history, It may be mentioned here that John Horn built a saw- mill on Tueker's Run, a little more than a mile due north of Bellefontaine, about half a century ago. It fell into decay many years since, and has entirely disappeared. N. McMichael built a steam saw-mill on the Roberts property, on the Rushsylvania road, at about the same time. This was rather more than two miles a little east of north of Bellefontaine. This mill also long since ceased to exist. David Cook and David Robb, about the year 1833, built a grist-mill on Blue Jacket, the remains of which may still be seen a few rods north of the Fair Grounds. Another mill in Lake Township, a grist-mill, mostly for custom work, is situated on Blue Jacket Creek near the point where it enters Harrison Township. It is the property of D. W. Kaylor.

Reuben V. Green is the proprietor of the oldest existing saw-mill in Lake Township. This mill is located in the north-eastern por- tion of Bellefontaine, a square beyond the original corporation line. It was built in 1848. It has been greatly improved recently, employing from five to eight hands. Its capa- city is from five to eight thousand feet of lun- ber per day. It requires $2,000 to pay for the labor necessary to carry it on per year. C. A, Walker established, in 18?9, a saw, scroll and planing mill in the north-western part of the town. This mill employs seventy hands with a weekly expenditure of $1,500. It saws lumber and furniture stuff. The market for this class of material is found mostly in New York and Boston. Fifty horses are employed in hauling logs. A great many logs are also brought from a distance on the cars. Railroad freights against the mill are about $600 per month on the incoming material, and about $1,000 per month on that which is exported. This difference is explained by the local teams hauling logs in large quantities from the

neighboring country. Thirteen acres of land are connected with this mill, and about $18,- 000 invested in it. Two extensive side tracks connect this mill with both the railroads.

There are two planing-mills and lumber- yards in the town. That of Thatcher & Dick- iuson is located between the railroads. In the whole business are invested about $13.000, and it employs from six to eight hands. The an- nual sales amount to from $50,000 to $75,000.

The lumber-yard and planing-mill of Wil- liamson & LeSourd is in the castern section of the town. The proprietors employ nine hands at an expense of $80 per week. For the six months ending July 1, 1820, the sales amounted to $60,000. Capital, $13,000.

There is an extensive woolen mill located in the town. This mill at the present time is engaged exclusively in the manufacture of hosiery. Sixteen machines are running on this work. The establishment employs fifty hands. The expense of running the mill, ex- clusive of stock, is in round numbers $:00 per week. They use about $100 worth of wool a day.

Colton Brothers, proprietors of the Bell -- fontaine steam flouring mill, estimate their capital at $25,000. Their mill has five run of buhrs. There are eight men employed in the establishment. The capacity of the mill is 500 barrels of flour per week.

There are three establishments engaged in the carriage manufacturing business. The Miller Carriage Company manufactures bodies and the other wood work of carriages and buggies exclusively. This company employs thirty hands. Miller Brothers are the pat- entees and proprietors of the " Eureka " car- riage body.

O. S. Goodwin manufactures finished work; he employs fourteen hands. His expenses are about $550 per month. He turns out about fifty finished jobs per annum, at an average value of $115 each.

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HISTORY OF LOGAN COUNTY.

The establishment of Falte, Green & Co. use material to the amount of $5,126 per annum. They pay for labor 83,598. Their manufactured work is worth about $6,500 per annum, and their repair jobs amount to $3,500. There are two foundries and three machine shops in the limits of the town, one in the south-western part of the town-was originally established in 1849; another estab- lishment is owned by Joseph Humphrey, in the northeastern portion of the town, Mr. Humphrey is well known as an accommo- dating gentleman and an ingenious machinist.

Bowman & Son are the proprietors of another excellent establishment of the same kind in the southern part of the town. Besides these, a considerable number of manufactur- ing enterprises are carried on in the township and town, such as cooper shops, tile factories, brick-yards, potteries, furniture, cigars, etc.

Three firms are engaged in purchasing wool in Bellefontaine. The amounts bought by these firms respectively for the year 1879 were as follows: E. Patterson, 113,000 pounds; value 862,000. James R. Gardner, 101,000 pounds; value, $29,000. Kerr Bros., 61,490 pounds; value, $22.146.40. Total pounds, 332,190. Total value, $123,146.40. The amount of wheat bonght for the same year by Messrs. Boyd & Sous, Colton Bros., and Kerr Bros., was 232.200 bushels; value, $274,480. Other grains and seeds, estimated, $40,000; hogs, estimated, $100,000; cattle and horses, estimated, $50,000. Grand total of agricul- tural exports, 8582,626.10. It will be observed that there is no milling or other manufactured or mechanical products included in this esti- mate.

The public buildings in the town were erected, of course, by the county at large, and a statement of the facts concerning them be- longs to another department of this work. The buildings of the town proper were the outcome of private enterprise and capital; but

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History of Logan County and Ohio, Part 51

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin Number of Pages: 798

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?; Battle, J. H; O.L. Baskin & Co
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago, O.L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 798